I've quietly been following the earthquake disaster in Haiti, like most people. I can't really help, and I don't necessarily have extra money to send, so I'm just pining away with guilt and sadness. All these great and big industrialized, even post-modern, nations of the world have so much to offer, so many ways they can help, but nothing seems to be getting done. It seems that no one there has enough water, or food, or shelter. No one can find proper medical care. All the nations and their armies are standing impotently in some proverbial corner, afraid to touch the Haitians.
I know some are trying, but it doesn't seem to be enough. I've taken great heart, however, from little tiny Israel's constant commitment to be the leader in humanitarianism. Whenever there is a world disaster, Israel sends its crack search and rescue squad, ZAKA, to the front lines. Backing them up, the military's emergency medical crew, and a hospital, set up camp and beg for all the toughest cases. While Germany and Japan and France, three nations that in my humble opinion shouldn't have armies, reserve their amazing wealth and wasted fortunes for a worthless armed forces, cash-strapped Israel risks all for the sake of tikkun olam - healing and helping the world and her people. I realize I'm being harsh on nations like Germany, since we have even recently cooperated with them on aid missions, but the amount they are doing relative to their ability is simply not good enough.
Just watch the following video if you really, truly think Israel is some devil; the little Satan. Do you know how much money it costs to do what they're showing in this video? Delivering babies, performing surgeries, and rescuing the trapped. But of course Israel won't really receive recognition for any of this, and not that we even care. We'll probably be accused of stealing Haitian baby blood for Passover or something anyway. Bitter? Oh, no, of course not... (If you receive the blog post from email, and the video doesn't come up, just come to the site for this amazing clip: www.israelibyday.com).
Here's another article if you want to read more about Israel's efforts.
18 comments:
GO ISRAEL!
I agree. I think it's so beautiful what Israel's doing there, despite the fact that you're right: No one's going to say anything about it. It makes me even prouder of my country that will help these people without needing an international gold star.
Thanks for the comment, Megan. Maybe we can be Israel's gold star.
Been following your blog for a while now, though I don't think that I've commented before.
I just wanted to let you know, for what it's worth, that Israel's efforts have been on the news over here. In fact, just tonight, the news was criticizing America for it's lack of portable hospitals, and was pointing to Israel's efforts as what *should* be done. No all good deeds go unnoticed. :)
Go Israel.
- Shari R.
When the Nairobi/Dar Es Salaam bombings occurred, the IDF (Home Front Command I think, not Zaka) sent an Urban Search and Rescue Team. It had dogs (for sniffing out people) that wore vests with the Star of David. My family grew up loving dogs (even if we only had one of our own) and so we put pictures of the "Jewish Rescue Dogs" on our fridge. So I associate disaster relief efforts like these with Israel and the IDF (although not Zaka - I thought they really just picked up body parts and were ultra-religious) quite easily.
Let us know how in the Golani is treating you when you get a chance. Hope you're keeping the runner's build you need.
The everyone's a critic guy from a few posts back (posterity not prosperity)
Danny,
Great link. There's another video on CNN's website that shows a baby that was delivered in the hospital and being named Israel.
Cheers,
Effie (Toronto, Canada)
hey danny
every israeli i've talked to about the IDF in Haiti has said the exact same thing: Yeah, they love us now, until the next Goldstone report.
sounds like you picked up the mood.
-danielC
AMEN! I think Israel's MOST EFFECTIVE IN EVERYTHING THEY DO compared to other countries. Israel's the smartest and..I say..the best.
Danny - your comment was deleted simply because of the word you used in your first sentence. Yes, I agree that we need to change the old ways of politics, start helping for the sake of humanity instead of for the sake of political advancement or strategy. But, for someone to speak of humans the way you did, and then to talk about this advancement in humanity, is only mildly contradictory, no? And to want to be a doctor, but still think of people like 1950's Alabaman governors did?
A good article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/22/world/middleeast/22israel.html?ref=global-home
Tikkun olam indeed, Danny. God watches and tends to give credit even more when no one else recognizes the good that is done. Those who get all the recognition and glory and attention from society - as the Teacher Jesus says, they HAVE their reward already.
haha, that's a laugh. "I've taken great heart, however, from little tiny Israel's constant commitment to be the leader in humanitarianism."
I suppose after getting billions of dollars in aid from US and billions more in military equipment to kill Palestinians, it doesn't hurt to put up appearances, donate some money here and there once in a while.
God knows how US or Israel would have reacted if it were Iran that was occupying another country, say, Israel. Well, we sort of know that, after Iraq occupied Kuwait and US and allies bombed the heck out of Iraq. Poor Iraqis been through hell with the wars against Iran for eight years (which US so kindly encouraged, selling billions of dollars of weapons to keep it going, the Kuwait war, and most recently US illegal occupations.)
I can't stand Israelis who speak from the sanctimonious position of dehumanizing Palestinians (calling them animals), Arabs...anybody but themselves, the "chosen people" (while simultaneously playing the victim card, so that the world allows the most narcissistic people to kill others simply because criticizing them is met with accusations of being pro-Nazi, a sickening and cowardly way to deflect criticism and continue the illegal and inhumane occupation).
Terror is a tactic, not an identity, unless Israelis don't mind being called the zionist entity or murderous occupiers. We have both sides dehumanizing each other.
And it makes me laugh when you complain of media bias. If and when Arab media replaces CNN and other American companies, and if and when they take the side of victims one out of a hundred times while Arab countries are occupying US/ISrael, then you can complain. But for the time being, it is US occupying Iraq/Afghanistan and Israeli occupying Palestine, not the other way around. It's these two powerful and rich countries occupying poor and weak countries. It's hard for me to have sympathy for bullies even if the kid he tortures everyday kicks the bully in the shins once in a while. And the narcissistc bully goes around screaming, oh my God, I'm hit, everybody look this little guy kicked me out of the blue, he should be expelled, blah blah.
So go ahead and "serve" your country but expect others to "serve" their occupied lands too. You care about your people, they do too. I don't think they woke up one and thought, what a glorious day, I'll just strap bomb to myself and go kill some innocent Israeli civilians because I'm an animal! Of course, you or your teacher or friends could say that, when you extract yourself from the equation.
But know this: if the situation were reversed, if you were Palestinian and saw the horrors of everyday life, and if you cared about your family and everybody who is humiliated, whose freedoms are taken away, you would do violent things out of desperation.
Though Israeli government is clearly the bully, the occupier, the people on both sides are just terribly afraid. Israelis know about horrors of Nazi Germany from their parents and grandparents...Palestinians know it first hand.
Don't know where to start with this... first of all, your geo-political knowledge is lacking. Israel is not occupying a Palestinian country, because there is no Palestinian country and there never has been. Let's get that clear. Secondly, don't refer to Israel as some "rich and powerful" country that screams when the shin is kicked, because you are clearly misunderstanding the point.
Israel is not even within the top 30 richest countries in the world... believe you me there are many richer countries among its neighbors, as well. When you compare the United States to Israel in terms of wealth, you do yourself and your argument a disservice. Israel occupies land that was won in a DEFENSIVE war from, in your example, the Jordanians. Do you know how the Jordanians treated the Palestinian people? Look up "Black September." Additionally, you can look to history (which you clearly fail to do) as an example of the kind of agreement Israel constantly offers and the Palestinians continually ignore. The Sinai Peninsula? Where is that on an Israeli map? Oh yes, given back to Egypt in exchange for lasting peace. Countless times the Palestinians have been offered a land of their own and countless times they have squandered the opportunity for peace. Why? Because their leaders do not want it. Why else would they, when receiving the Gaza Strip free of any Israeli "occupiers" and full of green houses worthy of a multi-million dollar income did they destroy the green houses? Why did they take all the aid money they got and invest in an infrastructure of terror? What purpose are they serving in doing this?
The PLO was established before 1967 and the "occupied" lands and, to some this up, its modern-day incarnations are the only side of this conflict sworn to the destruction of the other side. To paraphrase a fantastic quote, when the Palestinians love themselves more than they hate Israel, there will be peace.
To Danny: I have read every post on here and I am inspired by your courage and devotion.
Don't know where to start with this... first of all, your geo-political knowledge is lacking. Israel is not occupying a Palestinian country, because there is no Palestinian country and there never has been. Let's get that clear. Secondly, don't refer to Israel as some "rich and powerful" country that screams when the shin is kicked, because you are clearly misunderstanding the point.
Israel is not even within the top 30 richest countries in the world... believe you me there are many richer countries among its neighbors, as well. When you compare the United States to Israel in terms of wealth, you do yourself and your argument a disservice. Israel occupies land that was won in a DEFENSIVE war from, in your example, the Jordanians. Do you know how the Jordanians treated the Palestinian people? Look up "Black September." Additionally, you can look to history (which you clearly fail to do) as an example of the kind of agreement Israel constantly offers and the Palestinians continually ignore. The Sinai Peninsula? Where is that on an Israeli map? Oh yes, given back to Egypt in exchange for lasting peace. Countless times the Palestinians have been offered a land of their own and countless times they have squandered the opportunity for peace. Why? Because their leaders do not want it. Why else would they, when receiving the Gaza Strip free of any Israeli "occupiers" and full of green houses worthy of a multi-million dollar income did they destroy the green houses? Why did they take all the aid money they got and invest in an infrastructure of terror? What purpose are they serving in doing this?
The PLO was established before 1967 and the "occupied" lands and, to some this up, its modern-day incarnations are the only side of this conflict sworn to the destruction of the other side. To paraphrase a fantastic quote, when the Palestinians love themselves more than they hate Israel, there will be peace.
To Danny: I have read every post on here and I am inspired by your courage and devotion.
"Why else would they, when receiving the Gaza Strip free of any Israeli "occupiers" and full of green houses worthy of a multi-million dollar income did they destroy the green houses?"
Thanks Darren, I just don't have the energy to argue with that kind of talk. I mean, when did any Israeli that matters call the Arabs animals? He's just another outsider looking through the distorted kaleidoscope of misrepresentations of the situation here in Israel.
The concern with Israelis in Haiti wasn't actually the blood of Christian infants but the black market organ trade. If that sounds incredible, note that recent news at the time of the Haiti quake included a kidney smuggling ring being broken up in New York that was run entirely by Orthodox Jews including several rabbis. When people see stories like that, claims of Israeli teams harvesting fresh Haitian organs doesn't seem as incredible. But yeah, you actually were close to the mark.
Hey Danny, tell me, what have you been doing lately? Whats new? Im curious, I used to follow your blog and since I've been to the united states I've remembered it would like to know what your re up to. Write some news!
Rafael - Thanks for asking. I'm living in DC at the moment. I work for Georgetown University in an IT role in the fundraising office. It's kinda funny how things turn out, where you end up, taking jobs and taking on a life you didn't expect or plan. But I'm doing well, have some friends, and I'm going to get a masters degree from Georgetown. I actually start in a week. Here's the awesome part - it will be 100% free for me (minus books).
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